Candle holder



Patented Jan. 29, 1946 www] UNITED STATES PATENT fOFFICEy c CANDLEHOLDER Russell L. Gould, Shirley Center, Mass.V vApplication March 28,1944, Serial No. 528,419

(c1. fav-2s) i 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in candle holders and the objectthereof is to Drovide a holder which will insure the maintenance of thecandle in vertical position until it is consumed.

Usually candles are formed either by casting the candle in substantiallycylindrical moulds or by repeatedly dipping the wick vertically into amelted body of suitable material from which the candle is to be made,thereby providing the socalled dipped candles. candles thedownward ow ofthe material during the repeated dipping operation produces a candle ofconoidal form because of theV downward flow of the material as ithardens so that the base of the candle is of considerably largerdiameter than the upper portion thereof. Furthermore, the diameter ofthe dipped candles varies in accordance with the number of dips whichproduce the candle and also with respect to the degree of uidity of themolten material.

The diameter of the lower ends of different candles, whether cast ordipped, varies considerably, and seldom any is found which snugly ts thesocket of the usual candle holder or candlestick having a headprovidedwith the socket to receive the candle. In order therefore toinsure the holding of the candle in vertical position so that it willnot wobble or drip it has been necessary either to wrap the lower end ofa candle which is too small to fit the socket or to trim by hand thelower end of the candle, such as a dipped candle, which is too large tot the socket. i

The object of the present invention is to provide a candle holder havinga socket provided 'with means operable by rotation of the candle aboutits axis, While the end thereof is being inserted into the holder, totrim it and thereafter to retain the candle in upright position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a candle holder having asocket the wall of which is provided with one or more inwardly extendingribs provided with an angular edge or edges operable by rotation of thecandle about its axis when the end of a standard or oversized candle isinserted into the socket to trim said end and thereafter to retain thecandlein vertical position and-which rib may extend suiilcientlyinwardly properly to engage and support an undersized candle in verticalposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a candle holder' havinga socket provided with an inwardly extending rib or ribs inclinedcircumerentially with respect to the axis of the candle and operablewhen the candle is'rotated In thus making dipped f about its axiswhilebeing inserted therein not only to trim the candle b ut to draw thecandle downwardly thereby progressively trimmingl the candle and finallyholding the candle invertical position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a candle holderhavingasocket comprising trimming mechanism which will produce a shoulder toengage the flat upper face of the socket member thereby producing anadditional circumferential support to insure retention of the candle invertical position.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fullyappear from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing andwill be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing as applied to a simplified form of candle holder,but it will be understood that the socket member of the candle embodyingthe invention may be employed in a usual type of candlestick having atits upper end a suitablesocket member to receive and support the candle.y

In the drawing:v l Figjl is a plan view of a simplified form'foiCandlestick embodyingv the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line2 2, Fig. 1, the lower end portion of the candle being shown inelevation Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modiiied form of linvention'comprising four ribs each having cutting edges yoperable totrim the candle when rotated in either direction during itsv insertioninto the socket;

Fig. 4 is` a similar view illustrating a candle holder having three ribswith cutting edges adapted to trim the candle and so constructed as toform a triangular support for the candle;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a candle holder in which the cuttingribs are circumferentially inclined 4with respect to the vertical axisof the socket; and,

Fig. 6 is a modiedv form of the invention Acomprising a flat base withthree concentrically spaced members extending upwardly therefrom withconcavely curved inner faces the vertical edges of which are adaptedtotrim the candle.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a preferablycircular base I having a central upwardly extending socket member 2provided with a flat upper face 3 and having therein a concentric socket4 preferably butpnot necessarily tapering downwardly to conoidal iorm.AThe wall of the socket member 3 is provided with an inwardly extendingrib having a cutting edge 6 Vadapted when 'the candle is rotated aboutits axis in a clockwise direction,`

desirably convergesslightly downwardly so that the lower end of thecandle is trimmed to. conical,

tapered form thereby enabling candles of smaller A diameter thanthefsocket to bee'properlyl trimmed andretained in vertical position.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the socket member `2i is provided.with four inwardly' ex.-`

tendine` convergingly inclined ribs l-. equally spaced apart and haringinner races. lil` concentricwith the. axis of the socket.` so that each;rib is provided with two cutting edges I2 and L3 adapted to. trim; the;candle as it. is inserted whether rotated ina clockwise or;counterclockwise; direction.. In this construction the. ribs; with the:cutting edges t2 and I3 are produced at the intersection of segmentalequally spacedvertical circular recesses; M which merge into thecircular or conoidal socket formed by the: concave faces of.. the ribs.

from a solid; block. by' first boring the; central socket a-ndnthereafter boring; eccentric holes or channels about; centers suitablyyspaced from the periphery of the central socket, orA oli courseV theholder may be formed by casting in a suitable4 mould. The constructionshownin Fig. 4 is similar to that, shown in Fig. 3 except` that it is soconstructed as to provide, three candle.- trimming and supporting ribsof the character above l described., This construction isV advantageousin i that it provides athree-point, Supportwhich will more certainlysupport the candle-in vertical position and prevent it from wobbling. yc

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is ofr similar Vconstruction to thatillustrated in Fig; l except that the wall of. the socket member 2v is,provided with a plurality, preferably two trimming ribs i5 which arecircumferentially inclinedj'with respect to the axis ofthe socket andyact when the candle is rotated; in a counterclockwise direction duringits insertionl into the, socket to draw the candle downwardly, therebyaiding its introduction into the socket and insuring the positioningofg'the candle vertically in thesoeket. n i

The modified embodiment of the. invention shown inv Fig. 6 comprises apreferably circular base I6 having a iiat upperface l1 with threeupwardly extending candle-engaging members IB equally spaced apart.circumferentially and having, concentric circular faces [9, providingangular edges 2U and 2l operable by the rotation lof the candle aboutits axis in either direction while.

.being inserted axially between said members to trimsaid end portion ofthe candle and when saidend is engaged by the faces to retain it in.vertical position.

Y When the lower end portion of the candle is trimmed by rotationaboutits axis as it is insorted. intothe socket a.- shoulder` will bekformed In the' construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the socket Thevertical recesses form receptacles for the; materialcut from` the candleasV itis being'rotatably inserted in the socket- A vholder. of thistype; can be. readilyconstructed which will seat rmly upon the natuppersurface of the holder member such as ther atsurface 3 of the socketmembers illustrated in Figs.`

1-5 inclusive and the hat upper ends of the cutter and holder membersshown in Fig. 6.

It will be understood that the particular embodiments of the inventionshown and described herein are of an illustrative character; that other.types of trimming devices may be employed; and thattheinvention maybeembodied in the socket portion of usual. types ofj candlestickY orother candle holders within the meaning and scope of l the followingclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is lclaimed as new, anddesiredA to be secured by 2;V A candle holder having a. socket, to:receive v the endof a. candle. in which the wall 'ofthe socket isprovided. with a narrow ritt extending inwardly and provided wii'loY a.concave facecorn centric withl the vertcat axis. ortho socket; and

havin-g a cutting,l edge circu-n-rferential-ly inclined Y tothe verticalaxis of the socket.

3'. A candle holder l.--ravir1s asocket. to. receive the end of,Y acandle'in which the wall oithe socket is; provided vwith `arr:inwardlyextending narrowv rib having an inneriiace concentric respect to theverticalaxis ci. the socket andhave ine edeesonerable by rotation.orthe. candle about itsv axis in either* direction while being insertedintoithesocket to tri-msaid' end, the'conioave'vflace of the rib:acti-ng incooperatiorr with. otherrortions: of; the wall of they socket;oretain the.: candle in vertical posi-tions i 4. A candle holder havinga. socket. tof-receive the lend of a candle iii-.which the wall eitheysocket is provided with, a. plurality( ofA equally spaced in,-

. WardlyV extending ribs eachYhav-ing., an. inner tace in eitherdirection while being insertedv into the socket to.- trim said end` andthereaiterto retain the candlein, vertical.' position.

5. A candle holderV having y a, socket to receive an end of a candlewhich; the wallV oiL the socket is provided; with a. pluralityv ofequally spaced narrow downwardlyI and inward-lyconlf verging ribs eachhaving; a concave innen tace concentric withY respect to the verticalaxis of the socket and having angular edges operableblf the rotation ofthe. candleabout, its axis in-ether direction, while-being insertedintothe socket. progressively to trimA and. said endthere,- after toretain, the candle in. vertical position.. i'

6. A, candle holder having a vertical' socket member provided with aflat upper face: and hav ing al circular socket there-in. extendingvertically downwardly from said face.: and. of less diameter A than thatof the lower endL of the candlegtbe held thereby,A the wall ofsaidsocketr hav-ing arib provided with a cutting .edge operable hy- 'therotation of the candle. about its axiswhile. the lower-' end.v is beinginserted into. the hplder.

aaeavev progressively to trim said end and to produce a shoulder on thecandle engaging the flat upper surface of the socket member acting inconjunction with said rib and other portions of the wall of the socketto support the candle firmly in vertical position.

7. A candle holder comprising a head having a vertical circular recessand a plurality of equally spaced segmental recesses merging into saidcentral recess providing ribs having concave inner faces forming asocketl for the candle and presenting angular edges operable by rotationof the candle about its axis in either direction, while being insertedin the socket, progressively to trim and t said end and thereafter forthe candle and presenting angular edges,

operable by the rotation of the candle about its axis in eitherdirection, while being inserted in the socket, vprogressively to trimand nt said end and thereafter hold the candle in vertical position.

RUSSELL L. GOULD.

